


More Than Eyes Can See

by Chelsea Frew (chelseafrew)



Series: Blind!Harry 'Verse [5]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blind Character, Blind Harry, Blindness, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 17:58:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5465699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chelseafrew/pseuds/Chelsea%20Frew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Louis' first birthday since meeting Harry, and he can't celebrate without him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	More Than Eyes Can See

**Author's Note:**

> This idea popped into my head pretty much fully formed, and it only took me a week to write. It's sugary-sweet, so don't forget to have some insulin handy. :-) It was beta'd by the fabulous Cori Lannam, and any mistakes left are mine. The title comes, yet again, from Kris Allen's "Blindfolded." Thanks, Kris!
> 
> It was a joy to return to this universe yet again, and I hope you all enjoy the return visit just as much.
> 
> Happy Birthday, Louis! And Happy Christmas to you all!

**_Timestamp: December 2010_ **

At the last minute, Louis remembered the squeaky step. He jumped over it and continued to pad down the stairs quietly, coming to a halt on the last one. When he was ten, he'd been joyous to discover that this was a perfect spot from which to listen in to whatever was going on in the kitchen.

"I want to put the candle in!" Phoebe yelled.

"No, me!" Daisy argued.

"You're both too small," Fizzy declared. "You'll squish it."

"Girls, stop squabbling." That was his mum. After a pause, she announced, "There."

"Can I go wake him up?" Lottie asked excitedly.

"He'll be down soon. I promise," his mum, Jay, said with a knowing tone.

"Can we open Christmas presents while we wait?" Daisy inquired. Louis could imagine the hopeful smile on her face.

"No," Jay replied. "You know the rules. Today is Louis' birthday, tomorrow we do Christmas."

Daisy and Phoebe gave joint disgruntled sighs.

"Sit down, girls," Jay urged. "I'll make some hot chocolate to sip while we wait for Louis."

Louis listened as her footsteps crossed the kitchen.

"My present should be on top!" Daisy insisted next in her sweet, high-pitched voice. Louis guessed they might be arranging his gifts.

"Mine's better," Phoebe scoffed. Louis knew she was wrinkling her nose in distaste. He'd seen her do that a million times. "Louis should open it first."

He tried to wait a little longer, eavesdrop a little more, but he couldn't stand the suspense. He wanted to get his birthday started.

As he jumped down the remaining step, Louis cleared his throat loudly, making sure his family heard him coming. He waltzed into the kitchen then, throwing his arms out to the side. "Good morning, good morning, good morning!"

He was immediately besieged by all four of his sisters, who were trying to wrap their arms around him and wish him a happy birthday all at once. He laughed and smiled, accepting their hugs and good wishes.

"Okay, girls!" Jay called over the din. "Let your brother sit down. Hot chocolate's ready, and now Louis' here, I can fry up some eggs and bacon."

The girls reluctantly let Louis go, and Lottie guided Louis into his chair. In the centre of his plate was a chocolate cupcake topped with an unlit blue candle. Behind his plate sat a pile of presents just waiting for him to tear into.

Jay enlisted Lottie and Fizzy's help and in no time, everyone had mugs of steaming hot chocolate. Before she set about making breakfast, Jay lit the candle on Louis' cupcake. Smiling softly at him, she said, "Happy birthday, Boobear."

"Make a wish! Make a wish!" the twins chorused.

Louis closed his eyes and wished for the best birthday ever, then he blew out the candle to applause from his sisters.

"What did you wish for?" Fizzy wanted to know.

Louis shook his head. "Not telling. You know how it works, Fiz."

Fizzy pouted and sipped at her hot chocolate.

"Can I eat the cupcake, Mum?" Louis raised his eyebrows hopefully.

"It's your birthday, Boo," Jay responded. "You can eat it whenever you want."

As he peeled the paper from the bottom part of his breakfast dessert, Jay told him, "Anne called just a little while ago. She, Gemma, and Harry should be here around ten."

Louis couldn't keep from grinning. This had been his heart's desire, to have Harry come to share his birthday. It hadn't taken much persuasion on his part to get his mum to agree. Anne had been a harder sell--it was Christmastime, after all--but she'd eventually given in. She and Jay would have some catch-up time and Gemma would occupy Louis' sisters, giving Louis some quality Harry Time. After all, he hadn't seen Harry in three whole days.

He opened his presents while Jay made breakfast. His mum's gift was a pair of trainers he'd had his eye on, and she reminded him he had Christmas presents coming to him, too. Lottie had bought him a new Doncaster Rovers jersey, while Fizzy had gotten him a beanie to match. Daisy had picked out a mug with a dog on it. (When asked why a dog, Daisy had explained it was because dogs were awesome. Louis couldn't argue with that.) Phoebe had wrapped up her favourite stuffed elephant for Louis. (To keep him company in London, Phoebe told him proudly. She hadn't been wrong; it was his favourite gift of the lot.)

When breakfast was served, Louis tore through his. He excused himself, then, for a quick shower. He dressed in his cleanest jeans and a cream-coloured sweater he'd purchased during his weeks on _The X-Factor_. It was ten to ten when he put the finishing touches on his fringe, so he took a few minutes to tidy his room. His mum didn't like mess when they had company over.

At five minutes to ten, Louis parked himself on the front steps of his house. He wanted to be ready the instant Harry arrived.

The red SUV he'd been watching for turned onto their street a few minutes after ten. Louis jumped up when Anne steered the car into their drive, waving to Gemma, who was sat in the front seat while Harry was sat in the back. Louis waited until the car was parked to run over and open the back door.

"Harry!" he greeted his boyfriend brightly.

Harry grinned wildly at the sound of Louis' voice. "Hi, Louis. Happy birthday!"

Louis smiled widely. "Thanks."

He backed up to let Harry out of the car, then hugged him fiercely the moment he was steady on his feet. "Missed you," he whispered in Harry's ear.

"Missed you, too," Harry whispered back before Louis pressed a soft kiss to Harry's cheek, then reluctantly let him go.

Gemma got out of the car next. "Happy birthday, Louis," she wished him, pulling him in for a hug. As she let him go, she inquired, "It’s nineteen, right?"

"Yep," he confirmed.

"I remember nineteen," Gemma said wistfully.

Harry snorted. "I should hope so. You were nineteen twenty-two days ago."

Gemma reached over and lightly backhanded her little brother. "Cheeky!"

Anne came around the car, then, to give Louis her own birthday hug. "I hope it's a fabulous year," she told him.

"Thanks. And thanks for coming," he returned.

"We're honoured you wanted to share your birthday with us," Anne said as she reached into the back seat to grab a shopping bag.

Louis moved to nudge Harry's hand with his own. In a move he'd perfected over the course of the last six months, Harry let his hand travel up Louis' forearm to find Louis' elbow, gripping it tightly as he tucked the cane he held into his back pocket.

With Harry on his arm, Louis led the way into his house.

The minute they entered the house, Harry sniffed at the air. "Is your tree up here in the front of the house?"

"It is," Louis replied. "Right in the corner by the window."

"Smells nice," Harry remarked.

"Let me take your coats," Louis offered, slipping his elbow out of Harry's hand long enough to take his visitors' winter coats, hanging them in the front closet. He gave his arm back to Harry when he was done, and Louis walked the little group back to the kitchen.

Jay was all alone in the kitchen, sipping tea at the table, taking a well-earned break before returning to hosting the festivities. She beamed when Louis walked in with Harry, Gemma, and Anne, and she wasted no time in getting up to offer them each a hug.

Louis' sisters had scattered after breakfast, but they all appeared in the kitchen as Jay was letting Anne go and urging her to sit…and Gemma and Harry, too.

The younger girls all insisted on hugs of their own from Harry and his family, then they all sat around the kitchen table, the twins in Lottie and Fizzy's laps to make enough room. Louis made sure to pull his chair right up next to Harry's, grabbing Harry's hand under the table and squeezing it softly. Harry smiled at the gesture and squeezed back.

"So, Louis, are you having a good birthday so far?" Anne asked.

Louis nodded. "I got to have breakfast with my sisters, and I got some great gifts. Now you're here. It's perfect. Thank you so much for coming." He squeezed Harry's hand again with extra gratitude.

Anne laughed. "I'm pretty sure Harry would have stopped speaking to me if we hadn't."

"So, do you mind having your birthday on Christmas Eve, Louis?" Gemma inquired from her seat on Harry's other side.

"Nope," Louis assured her with a big smile. "My family's always all with me, and I get double the presents."

"Is there anything special you usually do?" Anne added her own question to the mix. "We don't want to interfere with any traditions you have."

"We usually just hang out during the day, playing games and that kind of thing, maybe watch a movie," Louis answered.

"Then when it gets dark, we all go out to look at all the Christmas lights," Fizzy reported, happy anticipation evident in her voice.

Jay gasped at Fizzy's words. Lottie echoed that gasp a couple seconds later, and she elbowed Fizzy hard enough that Fizzy yelped in protest. "What?" she demanded, glaring at her older sister.

When Lottie pointedly tilted her head in Harry's direction, it took Louis just a few seconds of his own to figure out what was going on.

It took Harry even less time. "This is about me, isn't it?" He sounded not so much sad as he did resigned, as if this was the thousandth time he'd had to ask this question.

There was an awkward moment of silence before Jay said, "We don't have to go out to see the lights tonight. They'll still be there tomorrow."

Harry shook his head. "It's okay. You don't have to change anything because of me. Louis can describe the lights for me, right, Lou?"

Louis smiled and squeezed Harry's hand yet again. "Of course," he promised softly. He would do anything for Harry.

"That all sounds lovely," Anne commented. Louis did not miss the proud look she sent in Harry's direction. "A perfect way to spend a birthday."

The awkward moment had passed, and Lottie piped up, "Mummy? Can Gemma do hair and make-up with us?"

Jay chuckled. "That's up to Gemma."

Gemma grinned. "I thought that might be something you wanted to do, so I brought some of my stuff from home. We'll just need to go get it from the car."

"Yay!" Lottie and Fizzy chorused, already lifting the twins off their laps and onto the floor so they could go outside with Gemma.

"Can we go, too, Mummy?" Phoebe requested.

"Absolutely," Jay said, and she smiled as her four girls followed Gemma like ducklings after a mama duck. She turned to Anne to say, "She's made their day."

"She was just as excited as them about getting to spend time together. It was a long term at school, and she's due a little relaxing," Anne shifted her gaze over to Louis and Harry. "So, what about you two boys?"

Harry shrugged, so Louis knew it was up to him to decide. "Do you want to check out our Christmas tree, Haz? There may be something underneath there for you."

"Sure," Harry agreed amiably.

The two boys left their mums in the kitchen for a gossip, and moved into the lounge. Louis was happy to note that Harry left his cane in the kitchen, comfortable with letting Louis guide him. And guide Harry he did, right up to the tree, totally ignoring their sisters as they came loudly back into the house and ran upstairs to one of the girls' bedrooms.

"It smells really good," Harry repeated his earlier remark. "We have an artificial one. My mum heard that the branches can explode if they catch on fire, and that was the end of our real tree days. She burns candles that smell like pine instead."

"That sounds almost as festive," Louis commented.

Harry didn't reach out to touch any part of the tree. Louis suspected he didn't want to risk breaking anything. So Louis gently pulled Harry's hand from where it still held Louis' elbow, and he placed it on an ornament right in front of them.

Harry very carefully brought up his other hand to feel of the decoration, mindful not to pull it off the branch. "It's a tiny nativity scene," he guessed after a moment.

"It is," Louis confirmed.

When Harry went to drop his hands, Louis reached up to hold them right where they were. "You can look all you like."

"Are you sure? Some of our ornaments are pretty fragile; yours must be, too."

"It's fine," Louis assured him, not wanting Harry to miss out on the tree.

Harry trailed his fingers just to the left of the miniature nativity to find a small, clay ornament. "It's a stocking," he declared.

"Fizzy made it," Louis informed him. "Years ago at school."

"Sweet. We have a few on our tree that Gemma or I made," Harry said. "I should make Gemma take a picture of our tree and send it to you."

"I'd like that," Louis remarked with a small smile.

Harry's hands traveled up a little next, and he found a brass photo frame ornament.

"That's got a picture of me as a baby in it," Louis explained, self-conscious even though--or maybe especially because--Harry couldn't see the photo.

Harry smiled. "I'll bet you were a cute baby."

When Louis didn't share any kind of opinion, Harry felt for another decoration. His forehead wrinkled as he tried to figure out what it was. He finally gave up. "What's this one?"

"The Tower of London. My mum got it on one of her weekend trips to see us on the show," Louis answered.

"Ah. These are the towers, then," Harry said, touching the two points at the top of the ornament.

"Mm hm."

Harry's fingers went on to find a few coloured baubles and balls hanging on the tree before he lowered his hands to his sides. "You're very quiet, Lou," he observed. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine."

Even to Louis' own ears that sounded like a lie, so it was not a surprise when Harry stated, "I don't believe you. You're usually way more talkative than this, and it's your birthday _and_ Christmas, which you've been excited about for weeks."

"It's nothing," Louis attempted to insist.

"Louis…." Harry had only known Louis six months, but he clearly had him completely figured out. He knew something was up.

Louis sighed. "It's just…. I was just thinking…. You can't see Christmas." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I love Christmas. The lights, the tree, the wrapping paper, everything, and you can't see any of it."

"So that's what 'blind' means!" Harry joked. When it was clear Louis didn't find the joke funny, Harry schooled his features into a serious look. "I've been blind my whole life, Louis. I'm used to not being able to see what everyone else can. It's really okay. I don't want you to feel sorry for me."

"I…." Louis was at a loss for words. He couldn't help it. He couldn't help but feel sad about all Harry was missing out on, even if he knew there was nothing he could do to change it.

"I love Christmas, too," Harry confessed with a wistful smile. "I just love different parts of it from you. I love the smell of a real Christmas tree, the sounds the paper makes when people are opening gifts, the taste of a full Christmas dinner, the music. And this year…. This year I get you. I love that Christmas now means it's your birthday, too. I'm so excited you wanted to share it with me."

Louis impulsively leaned forward to capture Harry's lips with his own, the first kiss they'd been able to share since Harry had arrived. Louis kept the kiss chaste, aware that their mothers were in the next room, but he hoped it still conveyed the message that Harry had Louis' entire heart and had done since that warm April day he'd knocked Harry over in Manchester. When they parted, Louis whispered, "I wouldn't have wanted to celebrate without you."

Harry expertly reached a hand around the back of Louis' neck so he could pull him in for another quick kiss. When he let Louis go, he said, "Now, I believe you promised that there was something under this tree with my name on it."

"Right." Louis began to kneel down, tugging on Harry's sweater to get him to do the same. He knew exactly where he'd put Harry's gift, and he grinned as he passed it into Harry's eager hands. "I used red and green striped paper."

"Sounds lovely. Can I shake it?" Harry wondered aloud, holding the box carefully while awaiting Louis' verdict.

"Sure," Louis told him. "It's not breakable."

Harry leaned back to rest his bottom on his heels, then gingerly shook the box. There was a soft _shush_ of the gift inside the box, but nothing else. "Intriguing," Harry commented with a smile.

"You can open it now, if you like," Louis informed him.

"Only if you open yours, too," Harry countered. "They were in a bag. Did my mum bring it in?"

Louis got up to get the bag he remembered Anne carrying in, toting it over to the tree. By the time he made it back, Harry had resituated himself so he was sitting cross-legged in front of the tree, his present from Louis in his lap. He was absently fingering the bow Louis had stuck on the corner of the wrapped box. He looked completely adorable, and Louis was so grateful Harry was his.

Louis sat down across from Harry, then looked inside the bag. "There are two gifts here."

"One for your birthday, one for Christmas," Harry explained. "Gemma helped me wrap them. One should be in birthday paper. You can open that one first."

Inside the bag there was a mid-sized rectangular box wrapped in red and blue birthday paper, so Louis pulled that one out first. "Can I shake it?" he mimicked Harry's question from earlier.

"If you like."

Louis shook the box and got a sound similar to the _shush_ Harry had gotten from his box. "Not breakable, then," he noted.

"Nope." Harry smiled, his left dimple popping out. "Go ahead. Open it."

Louis found a spot where the tape held the paper together and unearthed the box with just two or three rips. There was a white box inside, and when he opened it, he found a scarf. It was folded to show the logo of the Doncaster Rovers, his very favourite football club. "It's a Rovers scarf!"

"You said they were your favourite," Harry said.

"They are," Louis assured him he'd heard correctly all those many times he'd talked about the Rovers games.

"I figured even if you already had one, you wouldn't mind having another." Harry looked nervous, like he wasn't sure he'd picked a good gift.

"My old one started unraveling, actually, so this is perfect. Plus, Lottie and Fizzy gave me a Rovers jersey and a matching beanie, so now I have a not-falling-apart scarf, I'll be all set for the next game." Louis leaned forward to give Harry a kiss. "Thank you. I love it."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you like it."

"Open yours now," Louis urged, setting his scarf to the side to focus on Harry.

Harry trailed fingertips along the box to find the edge, then he pulled at the paper, ripping it almost exactly down the middle. Once he'd gotten the paper off, he worked the lid of the box off and reached inside.

The second he touched the jumper Louis had (more or less) neatly folded inside, Harry smiled. "It's really soft," he noted, lifting the garment from the box. "I don't think I own anything that feels this nice."

"It's green," Louis reported shyly. "Almost the same shade as your eyes. My mum helped me pick it out. I wanted something that felt amazing."

Harry's smile grew wider. "It really does, and since you said it's green, I can wear it tomorrow. I can't wait." He leaned forward for a kiss, Louis meeting him halfway so Harry wouldn't have to hunt for him. "Thanks, Louis."

"You're welcome."

After straightening back up, Harry said, "Open the other one now. Your Christmas gift."

Louis reached back in the bag and pulled out another small rectangular box, this one smaller than the one the scarf had been contained in. It was wrapped in white and gold Christmas paper and featured a tiny gold bow.

"It's a very pretty package," Louis remarked.

"If it is, it's because of Gemma," Harry credited. "I picked out the paper, though. It felt nice and shiny."

"It is," Louis concurred.

"Go ahead. Open it." Harry echoed his earlier plea.

It was obvious to Louis that Harry was a little more anxious about this present than he had been about the scarf. His cheeks were flushed, and he was biting his bottom lip. Louis reassured him, "I'm sure I'll love it," and was pleased when Harry visibly relaxed just a bit.

Louis plucked the bow off first and reached over to stick it on Harry's hand. Harry chuckled and ran his fingers over the top of the bow. "Shiny," he murmured.

Even though the shiny gold and white paper was fancy indeed, Louis ruined it with one big rip. Inside the paper was a thin black box. He lifted the lid and found a silver bracelet. It had a sturdy chain and in the centre was a rounded silver rectangle which had something written on it. "It's Braille." Louis recognised it from the books and papers he'd watched Harry read. He ran his index finger softly over the raised dots. "What does it say?"

"It says 'Louis,'" Harry revealed. "You remember my mum's friend? The one who made the statue of my mum and me?" One day during the previous summer, Louis had been in Harry's room and had spotted the figurine Harry's mum's friend had made based on a photo of Anne and Harry.

"Yeah." Louis was running his finger over the Braille again, trying as best he could to pick out the individual letters on the bracelet, but not having much luck.

"She makes jewelry, too," Harry continued to explain. "I asked her to make that for you. Do you like it?"

"I love it," Louis told him.

"Flip it over. She was supposed to engrave something on the back," Harry said.

Louis pulled the bracelet out of the box and turned over the rectangle. Engraved in tiny letters was _Love, Harry_. Louis grinned. "It says 'Love, Harry,'" he reported. "I hope that's what it was supposed to say."

"It was." Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm going to put it on right now." Louis fixed the rectangle, _Love, Harry_ side down, over his wrist and fastened the clasp. "It looks great. It's amazing, Harry. Thank you so much."

Harry reached a hand over to find Louis' wrist and ghost his fingertips over the bracelet. Then he leaned in for yet another kiss.

When they parted again, Harry took the box his new jumper was in and he placed it back under the tree. "Don't let me forget to take it with me," he requested.

"I won't," Louis vowed, sliding his birthday gift box right next to Harry's and folding the bag in which Anne had carried his gifts.

"So," Harry started, "what now?"

"How do you feel about Scrabble?" Louis wondered aloud.

"Scrabble is fun," Harry answered. "Unless you have a Braille edition, though, we'll need to play in teams."

"That can be arranged," Louis promised.

It took a little doing, but they coaxed the girls away from their make-up session to come play Scrabble. Louis claimed Harry as his partner, Anne and Jay agreed to play together, and Gemma, Lottie, and Fizzy combined their efforts. Phoebe and Daisy acted as cheerleaders.

In his capacity as Harry's partner, Louis read out their letters to Harry and they brainstormed words together. Even though the tiles weren't in Braille, Louis frequently led Harry's fingertips over the ones which had already been laid down so Harry could help make decisions about what to do next. This system won them the first game, and they were a close second on the second game.

Louis couldn't help but notice Anne watching him fondly as they played. He thought she must be happy with Harry having chosen Louis to be his boyfriend; at least, he hoped she approved.

After a lunch of sandwiches, the Tomlinson girls wanted more time with Gemma, while Harry wanted to re-introduce Louis to his favourite holiday movie, _Love Actually_. He'd brought the DVD just in case, stating that even if they'd watched it in the summer, they still needed to watch it at Christmas. Anne and Jay stayed in the kitchen, chatting and looking up holiday recipes.

After _Love Actually_ was over, the girls joined them in the lounge, and they put on _Home Alone_ , Gemma and Louis taking turns describing the action for Harry.

As the sun set outside, they had a dinner with a roast and Yorkshire pudding--Louis' favourites--and the conversation flowed freely. The boys talked about what their dreams were for One Direction, Gemma told some funny university stories, and Louis' sisters listed everything they wanted to do during their winter holidays. Dessert was, of course, a birthday cake.

With many hands helping, the kitchen was cleaned quickly, and everyone bundled up in coats, hats, gloves, and scarves to walk around and check out the neighbourhood lights.

Gemma, Lottie, and Fizzy were in charge of wrangling the twins and keeping them from running into the street. Anne and Jay followed all the girls, shouting out occasional orders or reminders to actually slow down and look at the lights.

Louis and Harry brought up the rear, walking slowly so Louis had time to describe all the decorations.

"This one has made itself into giant gingerbread house," Louis spoke of the house on the corner of his street and the next street over. "All the lights are coloured like candies, and above the top two windows are lights made to look like peppermint drops."

"Sounds delicious," Harry remarked with a smile.

Louis continued, "All along the footpath are lighted candy canes, and in the lawn are lighted gingerbread men and women."

"It's nice they went with a theme. Do all of them?" Harry wanted to know.

"No. A lot of them are just a mess of lights," Louis replied. "Let's cross the street."

Harry always gripped Louis' arm a little more when they were heading into a road, so the increased pressure above his elbow was not a surprise. He simply squeezed his elbow in tight to his side so Harry would know he had him.

When they arrived in front of the next corner house, Louis gasped as he stopped and got a good look.

"What?" Harry asked.

"This one's done all in white," Louis described, adding, "Tiny white lights all around the roof and down the corners. White icicles are hanging from the edge of the roof, and the path is lit by lanterns with white lights in them. It's so pretty. Best I've seen so far tonight."

"It sounds nice," Harry commented casually, as if Louis were just describing just any old house.

"Argh!" Louis grunted softly, starting to move away from the corner house toward its neighbour.

"What?" Harry inquired, clearly confused.

"I feel like I'm not describing the lights well enough," Louis lamented.

Harry stopped in his tracks, the pull on Louis' elbow forcing him to stop, too. "Louis, it doesn't matter."

"But you can't possibly be getting a good picture in your head," Louis protested, frustrated with himself.

"The best poet in the world couldn't help me do that," Harry told him wryly. "I don't really know colours, though you helped me a lot last summer. I only have a tiny bit of light." He waved in the general direction of the white-lighted house. "I can tell there's something lit up over there, but it's not really distinct. There aren't words which are going to change that."

"Should we stop then?" Louis asked quietly.

Harry shook his head vigourously, his curls bouncing under his green beanie. "Absolutely not. I may not be able to picture exactly what you see, but I still love hearing you describe all the decorations."

"You sure?"

"Positive," Harry assured him. "Let's keep going." He pushed on Louis' arm, urging him forward.

Louis capitulated, and began to walk toward where their mothers and sisters were strolling.

They walked around several more streets in the neighbourhood, Louis continuing to make every attempt to bring the decorations to life for Harry. Once he got over feeling like he wasn't doing a good enough job describing the festive displays all around them, it was all kind of magical. It was his birthday, and he was sauntering around his favourite place in the world--home--with his favourite person in the world--Harry. He couldn't imagine how his life could be any better.

By the time they arrived back at the Tomlinson residence, it was bedtime for the twins, though they were so hyped about Santa's imminent arrival that Louis could tell it would be a fight getting them to sleep.

While Gemma offered to ferry the youngest girls upstairs to get into pyjamas, Jay offered to make everyone hot chocolate to warm up from the cold outside.

"That sounds lovely," Anne said. "But after that, we should get going."

Though Louis didn't want Harry to leave, he'd had nineteen years of practice in having to let go of his birthday to make way for Christmas.

Jay suggested that Louis start a fire, so he led Harry back into the lounge, Lottie and Fizzy trailing behind.

Louis collected some paper, a couple logs, and some kindling. He assigned Harry the job of passing him the things he needed, and in just a few short minutes, they had a warm fire blazing.

Not long after, the twins reappeared in their bed clothes, and sat on either side of Gemma right by the fire to sip at the hot chocolate Jay and Anne had whipped up. Louis and Harry sat next to each other in front of the tree with their drinks, and Anne, Jay, Lottie, and Fizzy squeezed together on the couch, a mug in each of their hands.

It was quiet for a few moments as everyone warmed up with their chocolatey treats.

Anne broke the silence with a question for Phoebe and Daisy. "So, girls, what do you hope Santa brings?"

"A pony!" Daisy replied instantly.

"A puppy!" Phoebe also knew exactly what she wanted.

Louis chuckled. "Good luck." He sipped at his hot chocolate with eyebrows raised.

The twins may not have caught onto his sarcasm, but Jay shot him a reproachful look. He amended his statement. "I'm sure Santa will take that into consideration."

The twins looked hopeful for the ten seconds before Fizzy piped up, "There won't be any puppies or ponies. Santa doesn't bring those kinds of things. Not ever. I want a dollhouse."

"We don't have room for a dollhouse," Lottie scoffed.

"I'm sure Santa will bring some lovely presents for everyone," Jay inserted in a decisive voice, effectively ending the discussion. She started a new one. "So, Louis, did you have a good birthday?"

Louis nodded, reaching over to squeeze Harry's knee. "It was the best."

"Thanks for letting us share it," Anne told him.

"Thanks for coming to share it," he countered, smiling widely.

"What do you want for Christmas, Louis?" Gemma asked him.

Louis shrugged. "I got everything I wanted today."

"There must be something you want," Jay insisted. Louis suspected she was checking to see if she got him the right gift to open Christmas morning.

"Well, I wouldn't send back the new FIFA game," Louis informed her.

"Good to know," his mum returned with a grin.

Anne glanced at her watch just then. "As much fun as it's been sharing your birthday, Louis, we need to get going. It's late, and it's been a long day."

Gemma and Harry quickly finished their drinks and then Louis helped them collect all their winter gear, as well as Harry's cane from the kitchen and his Christmas present from under the tree.

Hugs and Happy Christmas wishes were shared all around, then Louis asked for a private minute with Harry before they left.

Jay, Lottie, and Fizzy disappeared to try to get the twins to bed, and Anne and Gemma took Harry's gift off his hands and went on out to the car, leaving Louis alone with Harry on the small front stoop of his house.

"I'm so glad you came," Louis repeated his earlier sentiment for Harry's ears only.

Harry smiled. "I'm so glad you invited me. Happy birthday."

"Thanks." In demonstration of his sincere gratitude, Louis snaked a hand around to the back of Harry's neck, pulling him in close for a kiss. He kept it relatively clean, mindful of Harry's mum and sister in the car not very far away, though he did take a long moment to savour the lingering taste of chocolate on Harry's tongue.

When they parted, Harry reluctantly said, "I guess I should go."

"I'll see you in two days, yeah?" Louis checked. They were due in London the day after Boxing Day to sign contracts and begin to talk about their first album.

"Two days," Harry confirmed.

Louis leaned forward to rest his forehead against Harry's. "I love you," he whispered.

Harry also pitched his voice low. "I love you back."

Just as Louis was about to offer to walk Harry to the car, a snowflake drifted past his nose. Then another, then another, and another. "It's snowing!" he cheered.

Harry slipped one of his gloves off and held out his hand, catching three or four snowflakes right away. "Wow. That's amazing."

"Harry!" Gemma called from the car. "Let's go!"

Louis slipped his elbow into Harry's hand and walked him down to the car, seeing him safely into the back seat.

Harry opened the window after Louis had closed the car's back door. "Happy birthday, Louis. And Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Harry."

With the snow starting to fall harder around him, Louis watched as Harry's family's car drove carefully down the street, not taking his eyes off of it until it was a tiny pair of red dots in the distance.

He walked slowly back to the house. He knew he had another wonderful day ahead of him. Christmas was his favourite holiday, after all. But he wasn't quite ready to let his birthday go.

Christmas may have had some magic to it, but it could not possibly top the magic of his birthday. It didn't have a single, solitary chance.

End (16 December 2015)


End file.
